Dental clasp



March 19, 1929. J}, TUGENDREKCH 1,706,086

DENTAL CLASP Filed March 24, 1927 shields with prongs Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

JULIUS TUGENDREIGI-I, OF AMBERG, GERMANY. I

DENTAL CLASP.

Application filed March 24, 1927.

This invention relates to dental tools and more specifically to clasps for holding absorbent cotton rolls in position on both sides of a row of teeth during the treatment so as to 5 cause the absorption of the saliva that tends to accumulate and hinder the treatment of the teeth.

The hitherto known clasps for this purpose consist of a pair of resiliently connected over which the cotton rolls are slipped to be held in position. Such clasps are objectionable because the rolls when slipped over the rigid prongs are incapable of being adjusted tightly against the teeth to prevent the passing of saliva to the latter. Moreover the prongs are found to easily bend and break.

The object of this invention is to provide a clasp whereby the cotton rolls will be effectively held in posit-ion so that the same can be quickly adjusted and exchanged during treatment.

Another object is to so construct the device as to afford a shield for the tongue or other 5 soft parts in the mouth of the patient.

With this and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and defined o in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device, Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, Fig. 3 is a front view thereof; Fig. et a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 5 a section on line of Fig. 4, and F 6 a top plan view of a modified form of construction.

The new clasp comprises a pair of flat wings or jaws 10 which are resiliently connected together by abridge or bow 11 projecting therefrom in a plane substantially perpendicular thereto. The inner or opposite edges of said jaws are arcuately grooved as at 10 to engage the inner and outer faces of a tooth. The grooves 10 of said jaws may vary in size and shape to conform with the particular anatomical structure of the tooth. Thus for instance, the grooves for the small bicuspidteeth may be considerably smaller than the groove shown in Fig. l which is designed for small molars. Suitably fixed to and projecting from each jaw in a plane ex tending at a right angle to the plane of the face of the longitudinal edge thereof, is a looped member or prong 12 of any suitable projecting therefrom Serial No. 177,888.

material which may be rigid, semi-rigid or flexible. These two members in conjunction with the wings or jaws are adapted to hold the rolls of cotton tightly against the tooth to be treated. Inasmuch as the cotton rolls are not slipped over said members but merely bear against the latter two or more rolls may be accommodated below the same and the wings 10 so as to more effectively shut off saliva from the teeth. The members 12 may be fastened to the jaws 10 by providing on the lower faces of the latter sleeves or sockets 13 through which their ends are pass-ed and to which they may be fastened ei her by soldering or by coiling their ends as at 12 (Fig. l). Each member may be provided with an auxiliary loop 12 which serves merely for reinforcement thereof. The looped members for bicuspid teeth may be bent laterally so as to conform with the anatomical shape of the gum portion of the particular teeth. One of the bent members, as for instance, 12 is sonicwhat shorter and bent so as to overlap the tongue of the patient during treatment, while the longer member 12 may engage the outer alveolar border.

It will be seen that the removal of the cotton rolls and insertion of fresh rolls can be easily "effected during the treatment without removing the clasp.

The apertures 10 in the wings serve for the engagement of a pointed instrument whereby the clasp may be positioned on the tooth or removed therefrom.

In use, the cotton rolls are placed along the outer and inner sides of a row of teeth to be treated. The clasp is then slipped over and clamped to one of the teeth and bear on the outer faces of the rolls, i. e. the upper faces of the teeth of the lower gum or the lower faces of the teeth of the upper gum. The prongs which extend longitudinally over the rolls and also hear tightly against said rolls so that the latter can be adjusted to rest close to the teeth, so as to effectively prevent the passage of saliva to the parts to be treated. As the prongs do not pass through but merely bear against the rolls, the positioning and exchange of the latter during treat ment are greatly facilitated.

What I claim is 1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of flat resiliently connected jaws arranged endwise relative one another and having their opposite edges arcuately grooved, a flexible wire projecting from each jaw in the same plane as said jaw but at an angle to the transverse edge of the latter, said wire being doubled upon itself to form a loop which is comparatively wide at its outer end and gradually decreases toward its fixed end, said jaws and the entirety of each of said looped wires serving to bear on the rolls of cotton and hold the latter tightly against the teeth.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of resiliently connect-ed flat jaws arranged endwise relative one another and whose opposite edges are arcuately grooved, sockets at transverse edges of said jaws, flexible wires fixed in said sockets and extending in the same plane as said jaws but at a right angle to the transverse edges of the latter, each oi said wires being doubled upon itself and so curved as'to form aloop which tomical shape oi 1,7ee,ose

is comparatively wide at its outer end but gradually decreases in width toward its fixed end, said flat wings or jaws and said looped wires serving to bear on the cotton rolls and hold them tight against the teeth.

3. A device or" the character described, as per claim 2, in which the looped wires are bent laterally the other, so as to conform with the anathe gum portion of bicuspid teeth. V j

4. A device of the character described, as per claim 1, in which the looped wires are bent laterally was to conform with the anatomical shape of the gum portion of bicuspid teeth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

J Lius ruennnanicn.

and'one of them is shorter than 

